Survey: 85% of Romanians know of George Enescu, but awareness falls among young people

A large majority of Romanians, namely 85%, have heard of celebrated composer George Enescu, according to the third edition of the Informat.ro – INSCOP Research Barometer conducted earlier this month. However, the survey shows a slight decline in cultural awareness compared to 2013, particularly among younger generations.

The study, carried out between September 1–9 on a nationally representative sample of 1,103 people, found that recognition of Enescu has dropped from 90.6% in 2013.

Meanwhile, 14.8% of respondents said they had not heard of him, more than double the share recorded 12 years ago.

Awareness of the George Enescu Festival, Romania’s top international classical music event, also fell, from 80.2% in 2013 to 76.6% this year. While 67.7% of respondents believe the festival benefits the country, 10.5% see it as a cost - up from just 1.8% in 2013.

“Although awareness of George Enescu and his Festival remains very high – 85% and 76.6% respectively – both figures have declined slightly compared to 2013, pointing to a partial weakening of collective cultural memory and a weaker transmission of values to younger generations,” commented Remus Ștefureac, director of INSCOP Research.

“Perceptions of Enescu and the Festival are strongly influenced by socio-demographic factors (for example, 26% of young people aged 18–29 have not heard of George Enescu, and only 46% know of the George Enescu Festival, compared with 90% of those over 60 who are familiar with it) and political affiliation (25% of AUR voters have not heard of George Enescu and 35% are unaware of the festival). This highlights divides across generations, education levels, place of residence, and political orientation,” he added.

The George Enescu Festival, held every two years in Bucharest, is considered Romania’s most important cultural event and a key platform for classical music worldwide.

(Photo source: Inquam Photos / Octav Ganea)